Virulence

Long before they established Fu Manchu as a cornerstone of 1990s stoner rock, guitarist Scott Hill, bassist Mark Abshire, and drummer Ruben Romano first picked up their instruments as members of the little-known Southern California hardcore outfit Virulence. Alongside vocalist Ken Pucci and, for a short stretch, second guitarist Jim Alfaro, the group of teenagers began practicing in family living rooms and garages in 1985, immersing themselves in the regional scene and drawing inspiration from Black Flag, the Circle Jerks, and Bl'ast!. A handful of local performances and self-released cassette demos built a modest audience, yet the band remained unsigned until Alchemy Records—home to acts such as the Melvins, Neurosis, and Poison Idea—extended an offer in early 1988. By that point Abshire had already left, with Greg McCaughey stepping in, and the group’s approach had shifted away from rapid hardcore bursts toward a broader palette that incorporated indie-rock textures and sludge elements. Those changes were documented during the summer of 1988 on the debut album If This Isn't a Dream…, which appeared the following year to minimal notice. Soon afterward Pucci chose to pursue higher education, prompting Hill and Romano to rejoin forces with Abshire and launch Fu Manchu. Although the lone Virulence LP gradually slipped into obscurity, Southern Lord Records eventually compiled the band’s complete recordings—encompassing early demos and live material—and issued them on CD in 2010 under the title If This Isn't a Dream… 1985-1989.